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Porsche and Dodge lead JD Power's 2020 APEAL Study

This may sound obvious, but we'll say it anyway: if an automaker delivers exactly the ownership experience that buyers are looking for and have come to expect, they are going to score well in studies designed to measure a vehicle’s appeal. ThatÂ’s why Porsche, with a score of 881, sits at the top of all vehicle brands in JD PowerÂ’s 2020 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, which is designed to gauge how owners feel about their vehicles on an emotional level. And it's also why Dodge's score of 872 leads all Mass-Market brands, followed closely by corporate cousin Ram. It's worth noting that Dodge — a brand primarily known these days for packing as much horsepower into its aging lineup as possible — was also atop JD Power's 2020 Initial Quality Study (IQS) rankings, making it the first domestic automaker to lead both categories in the same year. Before we continue on with the rest of the winners and losers, we'll mention that Tesla is only unofficially included in this year's study because it did not grant JD Power permission to contact owners of its vehicles in 15 states. Still, the study includes results from surveys completed in the remaining 35 states, and if Tesla had been officially included it would have led all brands with a projected score of 896. Conversely, Tesla would have sat at the very bottom in JD Power's IQS rankings. That means Tesla owners report more problems with their vehicles than owners of any other brand, yet they still love and connect with them on an emotional level. In the Premium rankings, the top five brands were Porsche, Lincoln (876), Cadillac (874), BMW (869) and Land Rover (866). At the bottom of the Premium rankings sit Acura and Audi (tied at 845). Following Dodge and Ram (871) in the Mass-Market category are GMC (857), Ford (853) and Mini (846). Interestingly, there isn't a Japanese brand anywhere in the top five of either category, with Lexus' score of 859 only good enough for eighth spot in the Premium category. The worst performers overall were Volkswagen (832), Mitsubishi (829), Chrysler (828), Toyota (825) and Jeep (822). When asked why Jeep, a brand with a massive fanbase and desirable models like the Wrangler and Gladiator, could land at the very bottom of its rankings, JD Power's Dave Sargent explained that what people love about Jeeps is not necessarily captured in this study.

Tesla Model S P85D shows 707-hp Dodge Challenger Hellcat how to drag race

Street Car Drags hosted a bang-up event at the Palm Beach International Raceway last weekend, with a list of massive horsepower ICE cars going up against one another and a trio of Tesla Model S P85Ds. One of those duels pitted the 691-horsepower Tesla against a 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, and the result was an old-school beatdown and a world record for electric cars. The Model S P85D ran the quarter in 11.6 seconds at 114.6 miles per hour, the new mark for BEVs at the drag strip. Proving its pace, it ran three more times in 11.69, 11.72 and 11.76 seconds. It got from the start line to 60 miles per hour in 3.1 seconds. The Hellcat, well, it wasn't a race, really. It was the Hellcat's driver's first time at a drag strip and his first time trying to launch it, so after an excellent burnout ahead of the lights, he rolled to the line, almost jumped the start, balked at the real start and spun his tires for the first 100 feet down the strip. The theory is that he overheated his street tires during that burnout, and the resulting greasy rubber did what greasy rubber does. By the time he got to the other end 17.46 seconds later the Tesla driver had showered and was enjoying a funnel cake. When things go right, though, Dodge estimates the Hellcat will do 11.2-second runs on street tires and it has been clocked at 10.85 seconds at 126.18 mph on street-legal drag radials. There's video of the not-quite-a-race above, and Drag Times says there'll be a rematch between the two in a couple of weeks. News Source: Street Car Drags via YouTube Green Motorsports Dodge Tesla Coupe Electric Luxury Performance Videos Sedan drag racing dodge challenger srt hellcat

Mopar '15 performance kit now available for Dodge Charger R/T

Dodge is releasing a new Mopar performance kit for the 2015 Charger R/T sedan, offering up just 50 examples of the dealer-installed upgrade package. Only a select few dealers will sell the kit, and they'll do so at a price of $3,550. As per usual, the Mopar kit makes both performance and aesthetic changes. For the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, upgrades include the Stage 1 Scat Pack kit, which adds a cat-back exhaust and cold-air intake, good for 18 additional horsepower and 18 more pound-feet of torque. There's also a new strut tower brace and a "premium fuel powertrain control module." Aesthetic changes are remarkably simple, with matte black body-side decals being the only notable addition to the exterior. In the cabin, there's a serialized dash plaque and new door sill plates. This is the sixth Mopar special edition since 2009. If you wish to join this fairly exclusive fraternity of Dodge owners, dealers are currently accepting orders, with deliveries slated to start later this month. Scroll down for the official press release from Dodge. PERFORMANCE IN A BOX: MOPAR '15 PERFORMANCE KIT LAUNCHES FOR 2015 DODGE CHARGER R/T Owners of 2015 Dodge Charger R/T can enhance their ride with a Mopar '15 performance kit 50 limited-edition Mopar '15 performance kits now available through authorized dealerships for an MSRP of $3,550 Mopar '15 follows the success of five special-edition vehicle packages offered by the FCA brand since 2009 Delivery of Mopar '15 performance kits to begin in early June June 8, 2015 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Mopar enthusiasts that feel the need to enhance the look and performance of their new 2015 Dodge Charger R/T can now do exactly that with a new Mopar '15 performance kit. With just 50 units available, authorized dealerships are now accepting orders for the limited-edition Mopar '15 kits for an MSRP of $3,550 with delivery to begin in early June. "Mopar has a long history of delivering to enthusiasts performance and customization in unique and convenient packages," said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO — Mopar Brand Service, Parts and Customer Care, FCA. "We are now shifting into another gear and offering a limited-edition kit that will allow customers to really enhance the performance and look of their Dodge Charger R/T." The Mopar '15 kit is a street-legal performance package that includes the Scat Pack Performance Stage Kit 1, as well as a front strut tower brace with caps and bright pedal kit.